Time
by Lalilulelovee
Summary: "Einstein was right. Time is relative to the observer." One-shot on the Boss' twisted perception of time as she fights the Morningstar. Loosely based/set on the mission 'We're gonna need guns' in SR:TT. Read and Review!


A/N: Whew. So I was playing Saints Row: The Third in my usual laggy laptop. Naturally, it lags the hell out of the game since I don't have the right graphics driver but I play it anyway to... uh... avenge Johnny. This is just a short fic inspired by my old laptop's lag which actually made a twistingly beautiful experience and an unusual look at Steelport.

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_Einstein was right. Time is relative to the observer._

When you are enjoying a game of football on you TV set or when you are trying to chase a deadline, time seem to pass by so quickly. Time would seem to flow differently when you are locked inside a broom closet or when you are looking at the barrel of the gun pointed at your face.

Time is a bitch like that, I know. When you need more, it seeps right through your fingers more quickly than it should. But when you want it to go quicker, when you just want to get things over with, it just won't go any faster.

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"We should bring the boys over as soon as possible." Shaundi, my lieutenant, said. Still tense and seem to be in shock with what just happened to us. I have to admit; I too, am a little scared. There is a lot of things should be scared about right now; I had just walked out of a plane crash with only my least fighting-capable lieutenant who holds the highest count of being hostaged or kidnapped in the history of the Saints. I didn't exactly recruit her for this kind of job, you know. Also, I am now officially bankrupt. Ta-da! See what those pesky hacker kids can do? That French fuck just called from Johnny's phone telling me he's dead and that I'll be dead soon too. Oh, please. And we are trapped in—wherever this is, without a single gun. Fuckin' perfect. I just want to go home and die.

We approached a busy street under a freeway, which is jam-packed with homeless bums and prostitutes. Rows of what I make of cheap strip clubs with fancy neon lights irritate me. This isn't exactly my kind of neighborhood. I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible but the street seemed endless.

"Where are we?" I finally asked Shaundi, trying to hide my worry in my face. I can't have her or anyone think I actually get scared of any situation, let alone be nervous.

"Steelport. It's like Bangkok's abusive father." I have no idea what that means, but at least she knew something. Here's to hoping that wasn't a lucky guess or something she read along the way.

We walked casually through the underpass, shoving people in the way. After a hellishly long walk, we finally made it outside and was able to jack a car parked nearby. Loren Square. Well, that's a fuckin' ugly name even for a place like this.

I shut myself in my head. Shaundi was talking and pointing to places she knew and I pretended to listen and occasionally make a smart remark so she doesn't get suspicious of my attention wandering off. I swear I was driving as fast as I could to the armory we agreed to loot, but it felt sluggish, as if I am better off just walking.

We arrived at the armory. As expected, it is packed with military dudes already shooting at us just as we arrived. I know I am supposed to feel some sort of thrill – adrenaline, but I can't feel anything actually.

"Boss! What are you doing?" Shaundi yelled at me and I realized I had just spaced out for a few seconds while I was hiding for cover. I blinked a few times to wake myself up before standing and charging to one of the men. Something was off with me, not that I was perfect before.

"Boss!" I heard her yell again. Her voice sounded distant this time, like it came from another place. "What the fuck are you doing?" You know that kind of sound they produce when they slow down the audio in movies for a dramatic effect? Yes, she sounded just like that for me.

I didn't stop to look at her. I was charging at the soldier dutifully reloading a few feet from me.

I then realized time slowed down for some reason. I felt like I was in a trance. I can see everything in precision now and I sure am gonna take advantage of this. I saw the soldier cock his gun and slowly point it towards my direction. I didn't feel the usual panic I should feel. I was calmer, like I was on drugs. The soldier fired. I saw the trajectory of his shot easily and I shifted sideways avoiding his shot by mere inches. I quickly drew the hand gun that I picked up somewhere and aimed carefully at his head. One of the perks of having things in slow motion is that you get to plan your moves better, think and act better.

I even had the time to check on Shaundi from time to time after I finish an enemy. She was putting a good fight. Not really what you'll expect from a college drop-out hippie turned celebrity. Gat would be proud.

One precision shot to the head after another, I was able to make my way to the warehouse. I was unstoppable.

"Woah, Boss." My lieutenant said, half-panting, half-laughing. "Didn't know you have that in you."

"Well, what can I say?" I smiled but it didn't reach my eyes, "Let's get these guns and get out of here."

* * *

I opened my eyes and I saw the ceiling of an familiar place - The Purgatory. Heh, I can't even remember how I got in here. Wow, that was one hell of a dream, or should I say 'flashback'.

_Time is a bitch_. It slows down on you just in time when you are in pain, just to prolong the agony and maybe make yourself wallow in self-pity, and flies out of your hands too quickly to steal the best moments of your life. It was long over now. It's been a year since that incident with Loren and the Syndicate. We fought and defeated them in only six months, so much faster than I have expected, yet it felt like an eternity; like it wasn't going to end at all. And I still can't forget- No, I don't want to forget. Not even one detail in Killbane's mask.

_Time slowed down on the worst moments of my life_. I remembered it slowing down the first time my foster father sacked me and beaten me for the longest one hour in my life. The night I ran away from home and stayed on the streets during the never-ending winter. The night I almost died and met Julius and Troy; it almost felt like the gun pointed in my face was there for years. The day I was shoved at the back of the trunk with Lin; every second inside that sinking car was dreadful. When the boat exploded and I realized Julius had betrayed me. When Johnny got stabbed by a sword and when I gave Carlos a coup de grace in hopelessness because the ambulance is taking forever to arrive. When I killed Julius, the bullet travelled in his brain for days. I thought it was over after I took over Stilwater. But soon enough, time found another reason to slow down for me again.

_Time slowed down on the worst moments of my life_, not to piss me off, but to make me see the things I often overlook. To make me absorb as much strength I can from the experience; Learn as much as I can. And each time it slowed down, I come back as a stronger person than before.

Everything was over with the Syndicate and I lay here thinking back at those hard days. Maybe I was high on drugs all those slow motion-times in the Steelport. Maybe I was high on the smell of gasoline and fumes of the exploded cars of the Morningstar; High on the smell of cigar that the damn Belgian smoke that night. High on the smell of blood of the man who died on that plane. High on the familiar scent of revenge.

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A/N: This is my first first-person POV story, so if I messed up a little, please forgive me. Oh, and I threw in a Theory of Relativity (Time dilation, to be exact) quote right at the beginning. I'm sorry. It's the only lesson in Physics I enjoyed.

Can you believe that I just wrote and built a plot about a laggy game? I can't believe myself either. My mind keeps being philosophical and shit on everything I do, I just have to write about it. Ah what the hell, let me hear your thoughts on this. Hit the review button!

Oh, and if you are reading this and enjoyed it, please read my other stories too and give me your thoughts!


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